Question

in_the_loop_598 something used to divert someone’s attention from the real or important issue; something used to send a searcher in the wrong direction The expression originates from the fact that a red (smoked) herring has a powerful and persistent odor. Centuries ago red herring was used to train dogs to track scents. Those hoping to misdirect tracking dogs would drag red herring across their trails since a dog that gets a whiff of red herring will lose any other scent that it has been following. This expression is often used in the context of mystery stories.

Accepted Answer

RED HERRING The newspaper reporters were hot on the trail of a good news story. The man they were pursuing didn’t want to be caught, so he tried to mislead them by throwing them a red herring.The elected officials in congress don’t want the voting public to concentrate on the issue of higher taxes. They divert the public’s attention by constantly raising another, less important issue that is nothing more than a red herring.

Id	in_the_loop_598
Idiom	RED HERRING
Definition	something used to divert someone’s attention from the real or important issue; something used to send a searcher in the wrong direction
Examples	The newspaper reporters were hot on the trail of a good news story. The man they were pursuing didn’t want to be caught, so he tried to mislead them by throwing them a red herring. The elected officials in congress don’t want the voting public to concentrate on the issue of higher taxes. They divert the public’s attention by constantly raising another, less important issue that is nothing more than a red herring.
Extra Info	The expression originates from the fact that a red (smoked) herring has a powerful and persistent odor. Centuries ago red herring was used to train dogs to track scents. Those hoping to misdirect tracking dogs would drag red herring across their trails since a dog that gets a whiff of red herring will lose any other scent that it has been following. This expression is often used in the context of mystery stories.

Red Herring Divert Attention Important Issue Expression Dogs